Milking-machine



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. B. ATWATER. MILKING MACHINE Patented June6, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRYAN ATWATER, OF BERLIN, CONNECTICUT.

MlLKlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,948, dated June 6,1893.

Application filed March 17, 1892. Serial No. 51 (N0 model-3 To all whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I, BRYAN ATWATER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Berlin, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMilking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in milking machines, and the objectof my impressure plates and immediately connected parts, the plane ofsection extending through the longitudinal center of the operating rods.Thisfigure and the following ones are on a larger scale than thepreceding figures. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are like views of the same parts,representing as many different successive positions. I

My present invention is in the nature of an improvement on myapplication, Serial No. 385,237, filed March 16, 1891, which in additionto various mechanisms for moving the milking devices proper intodifferent position for operation has in common with this application apair of pressure plates one of which is provided with a rocking motionand is pulled to and from the other by means of a side grooved cam, twodivided connecting rods and springs, said rods pulling respectively fromthe upper and lower parts of the rocking pressure plate and thereforethe same is not claimed herein.

A designates a standard or upright by which my milking devices and theiroperating mechanisms may be mounted upon anysuitable support.

B is a longitudinal dovetailed way or guide secured to or formed on theframe 0 by means of which said frame and the parts carried thereby, maybe adjusted longitudinally on said standard as in said priorapplication. In this frame on a suitable shaft 8, I hang the cam D, saidshaft being provided with means for rotating it, as for example thecrank 9. The side face of this cam D is provided with four cam groovesl0, 11, 12 and 13, each having a concentric portion 28, and withinlongitudinal holes or passage ways through the frame, there are fourdivided connecting rods 14, 15, 16 and 17 with their ends, preferablyprovided with friction rollers, engaging said cam grooves as shown inFig. 1. Each of these rods is divided into two parts which, when intheir normal position have their confronting ends abutting each other asshown at 18 in Fig. 3. The frame 0 is slottedhorizontally for each rodand a pin 19 pro ects laterally through these slots on each part of eachrod, as best shown in Fig. 3, and a spring 20 is stretched on said pinsto draw the two parts of each rod together when they are free. That partof the divided rod which is farthest from the cam is prevented frombeing pulled out of the frame by the pins 19 reaching the outer ends ofthe slots in said frame while at the same time said slots are longenough, seeFlg. 1, to permit the two parts of the rod to separatewhenever they are held or pulled out wlth sufficient force to overcomethe power of the springs.

At the end of the frame 0 which is opposite the cam, there is a fixedresisting pressure plate E, the several connecting rods running throughit. Hinged or pivoted to the outer ends of these rods is a companionpressure plate G composed of four finger plates 21, 22, 23, and 24, thesame beingjointedly connected at the upper and lower edges in anysuitable manner as for instance by knuckles and pin tles like the jointsof a hinge. The end of the upper rod 1 1 is hinged or pivoted directlyto the finger plate 21; that of the rod 15 is hlnged thereto through onepivoted link 25; that of the rod 16 through two pivoted links 26, andthat of the rod 17 through two links 27 as best shown on Sheet 2 of thedrawings Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. When the ends of all the connecting rodsare in the concentric portion of the cam grooves, the'plate G will standsubstantially parallel to the plate E and at some distance therefrom asindicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1. When in this position, themachine will be adjusted to the cow so as to bring two teats between thepressure plates. By turning the cam, the rods are drawn in successively,(the concentric part of the cam grooves being successively longer foreach rod, y from the top rod d0wn,) carrying the plateG with its upperedge foremost toward the plate E until the teats between the platesarecom-f pressed sufficiently to overcome the power of the springs on thedivided connecting rods, after which the two parts of the rod separateand the spring yields to permit the cam end of the rod to complete itsmovement.

For convenience of illustration I will describe the plate G as coming indirect contact with the plate E instead of the intervening teats. Thefirst contact of the platesin coming together is illustrated in Fig. 1,when the upper edge of the upper finger plate2l, strikes as shown, whileits lower edge is out of contact, but upon the further movement of therods it is broughtinto a position parallel with the plate E as shown inFig. 4, after which the .next lower finger plate 22 is brought into alike position as shown in Fig. 5., then the finger plate23 as shown inFig. 6, and lastly the lower finger plate 24 as shown in Fig. 7, therebygiving the pressure plates first a cutting ofi action, then graduallychanging to a full and square pressure for each successive finger platefrom the top down, quite aualogous tothe action of a persons fingers inmilking a cow by hand. Upon the further movement of the cam the entireplate G moves bodily into the position indicated by the broken lines inFig. l, and there remains stationary for a moment, as the concentricportions of the ,cam grooves pass the rods, giving time for the milk toflow down and fill the teats again ready for a repetition of theoperation.

Iclaim as my inventionl. The combination of a resisting plate and theplate G consisting of a series of finger plates, jointedly connected andoperating devices for successively moving said finger plates 1 towardsaid resisting plate substantially as described and for the purposespecified.

2. The combination of a resisting plate, the plate G consisting of aseries of finger plates jointedly connected, theconnecting rods havingflexible connections'between them and the lower fin'ger'plates, andmechanism for-operating said rods.

3. The grooved cam D havingin each cam groove the concentric portion 28at the farthest point from the center of the cam, in combination withthe connecting rods engaging said cam grooves and the pressure plates,one of which is connected with said rods, substantially as describedandfor the purpose specified.

BRYAN ATWATER.

With esses JAMES SHEPARD, B. .S. LEWIS.

